Bound by Shadows
1544 Words
Eva's POV
"Don't stare at me like that," I said in a low voice as I turned to look into Kade's sharp silver eyes. Not in the middle of all this chaos.
He smiled and leaned in closer until it felt like his weight was smothering and calming. "Like what?" he asked softly. His voice sounded like grit, and my heart was beating fast.
"Like you want to eat me," I bit back and gripped the dagger tighter as the beast's tall shadow loomed just beyond the opening.
When Kade said, "That's because I do," his eyes briefly went to my lips. Then he stood up and walked back toward the bush. "Still, there are worse things out there than I am right now."
The ground shook, and the big thing's deep scream could be heard all around us. I couldn't explain the strength of the force around Kade as he lifted his hand, but it made my heart pound.
"You really shouldn't have stayed," he said under his breath.
"I was not about to desert Lila!" Even though my knees were shaking, I snapped and stood up.
He looked back at me with dangerously wide eyes. "And you were also not going to pay attention. The norm.
"Are you seriously scolding me right now?!" I yelled as the beast came closer. "Do you see the scale of that thing?"
Kade grinned and shook his head. "Okay, I get it. I'll take care of it if you stay out of my way."
My whole being begged me to leave, but my legs wouldn't move. I watched Kade move forward; every move he made was a deadly mix of beauty and raw strength. The animal looked at him with bright green eyes and hissed as its jaws dropped with ichor.
"You're crazy," I said, but more to myself than to him.
He turned around and didn't look back, but I could feel a smile. "You're starting to get it."
The beast attacked, and Kade moved so fast I couldn't keep up with him. His body was a blur of black energy and speed. The crash shook the area and sent power waves that knocked me off balance.
Follow me! Kade yelled, and his voice was so loud that there was no way to argue.
Once more, I listened while holding the knife tight as if it were my lifeblood as chaos tore across the room in front of me.
"What the hell is that?" Through the noise of the battle, I yelled.
The animal growled and lunged at Kade but missed. "A Guardian of Collectors". This makes sure that the debt is paid.
"Debt"? I insisted, and my voice got frantic. "I already worked out the deal with you! Not quite enough, apparently."
He growled, hitting the animal's side with his hand, "not you. That's about me."
I stopped. You?
He didn't notice because he was too busy avoiding another hit. But his silence said a lot, and fear twisted in my gut.
"What aren't you showing me, Kade?"
"Now is not the time to confess, Eva!" he yelled, his voice strained as the beast hit him in the side and knocked him back.
I drew in quickly, annoyed and worried at the same time. "You're impossible!"
He got to his feet and yelled back, "And you're terrible!"
Even though there was chaos, I couldn't miss Kade's motions. He was a dangerous hunter, and every step he took was decisive. Even though he was a monster, his fighting made him seem very normal, like he had something to prove.
The way he treated me between strikes made me feel like I was more than just a regular person who had called him by accident. It seemed like I was the only thing stopping him from going completely crazy.
"Kade!!" I yelled as the beast charged again, this time with its claws aimed at his chest.
He finally ducked, but the beast's force went past him and hit a nearby tree. "I advised you to stay behind me."
"If you want to stand still, stop making it so hard!" I yelled back. The heat in my chest was getting worse for no reason.
Another growl came from the trees just as Kade thought he had the upper hand. When something else came in, my blood stopped moving. It looked smaller than the first, but it was just as scary.
I said, "Kade," but my voice was shaking.
He didn't move, but I could tell his shoulders were stiff. "Stay close, Eva."
Before I could do anything, the second thing rushed toward me. I got more tight, ready to get hit, but it never came. Instead, Kade was there, and when the beast hit him in the air, his body crunched with force, knocking it to the ground.
He grabbed me and asked, "Are you trying to kill yourself?"
I couldn't say anything as his silver eyes burned into me, so I gulped hard.
"Stay". "Close," he said, and there was no doubt in his words.
It seemed like the clouds got darker, and the air got colder as the fight went on. But then everything stopped.
The bigger animal moved away, and its bright eyes got narrow as if it were listening.
"What's it doing??" I spoke in a whisper.
Kade's face turned cloudy, and he clenched his jaw. "It's awaiting."
I felt chills run down my spine as a deep, beautiful voice filled the field. "For what?" "For me.." he said softly.
I quickly turned around, and my breath stopped when a woman wrapped in shade came out of the darkness. Her eyes were the same terrible green color as the beasts'.
"Hello, Kade," she said, her voice full of disdain. Do you miss me?
Kade's whole mood changed. Instead of being sure of himself like usual, he showed a strain I had never seen before. Using a low, scary voice, he said, "You shouldn't be here."
The woman smiled, and her sharp, moonlit teeth shone. She spoke in confident whispers. "You do owe me, after all."
I looked back and forth between them, my mind spinning. "Kade... who is she??"
He didn't pay attention to me and kept looking at the woman as she took another step forward.
"I'm his past," she said, and her eyes went to me. "the future as well."
The ground beneath us cracked before I could understand what she was saying. A green light split exploded from the ground, pulling us into the dark.
The woman walked into the opening, her presence both suffocating and exciting at the same time. The ends of her long, flowing robe seemed to sparkle as they disappeared into the night all around her. The animals stopped as if to show respect. Their horrible shapes bent a little.
With Kade tensed up next to me, he went from being cocky like usual to showing worry, which was an uncommon sight.
"Who the hell is that?" I spoke in a low voice that was hard to hear.
Kade didn't answer right away. As the person moved in front of us, his sparkling eyes were fixed on her. He said again in a low, stern voice, "Stay behind me."
This time, I followed, even though my heart was beating very fast, as if to pop out of its cavity.
The woman talked like she was in charge. "Kade," she said in a low voice, tilting her head. "It's been too long."
Kade clenched her teeth. "Lilith," he called her name over and over again.
My stomach dropped. Lilith, wasnt' this The Notorious Collector herself?. Just the word brought up a dozen warnings from old books, stories of deals that went wrong, and souls being locked up forever.
Lilith looked at me and said, "I see you've been busy." When her bright eyes looked at me, I felt like she could see right through me to my soul. "Is this your most current... project?"
To stand tall, I forced myself to swallow hard. I said, "I'm no one's project," and my voice sounded better than I felt.
Lilith smiled with her mouth open, showing that she was hungry. "Oh, she's hot. That's nice. Tell me, kid, do you even know what he's getting you into?"
I looked at Kade, whose hands were close together at his sides. His silence told me a lot, and I felt like I was sinking.
Lilith whispered, "You didn't tell her," and she laughed out loud. "Wow, this is really rich." What have you given her that she doesn't even know about?"
"Hey Kade, what does she mean?" I insisted, and my voice got frantic.
"Don't," Kade growled at Lilith. "Leave her out of this."
"Leave her out?" Lilith's smile grew bigger. Kade, that's way too late now.
The ground around us broke apart very badly, and I could hear the roaring winds before I could even understand what she was saying. When Lilith raised her hand, a bright sign pulsed through the air.
"Kade!" During the flash, I yelled. Its brightness made me blind.
He looked at me with a worried look on his face. "Eva, Get away! Quickly!
It was too late, though. When the sign broke, everything went black.
- Writer
